Systems

• Mitel Communications Director 4.0 Adds Dynamic Extension
• Nortel Enhances its Telephony System Portfolio, Enterprise Division Sale Pending
• Siemens Announces OpenScape Office UC Application for HiPath 3000

Telephones and User Devices

• Aastra Unveils Three New DECT Handsets
• Epygi Partners with Yealink for HD IP Phones
• Esnatech Announces Mobile UC Client Download from Blackberry App World
• Panasonic Introduces New Digital Telephones with Bluetooth
• ShoreTel Adds Polycom DECT Wireless Solutions

Latest T3i Group Market Intelligence Reports

• Global Market Demand for Hosted IP Telephony and Hosted - SaaS UC Applications Market Outlook
• Managing The Company's Wireless Gear: Putting Wireless Equipment/Expense Management (WEM) To Work
• The State of Fixed Mobile Convergence in the Workplace

Toshiba Rolls Out Three New Solutions for Mobile Workers

In recent months, Toshiba has introduced several new solutions for mobile workers: a Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) solution from Varaha Systems, Stratagy View Web-based messaging and a DECT cordless phone. These new mobility options add to several other options already available from Toshiba, including the company’s SoftIPT softphone that runs on a wired or wireless laptop or PC or PDA, Polycom SpectraLink wireless phones and the Symbol (Motorola) MC50 Enterprise Digital Assistant. The mobility options are compatible with Toshiba’s complete line of Strata CIX VoIP systems designed for small, mid-size or larger businesses with multiple sites (Strata CIX40, CIX100, CIX200, CIX670 and CIX1200).

Below is a summary of three new mobility options for Toshiba Strata CIX customers.

A new Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) solution, uMobility from Varaha Systems, lets mobile employees use a smartphone device as their business telephone to automatically handoff calls between a cellular network and the enterprise wireless network (a corporate WiFi network). Regardless of the network that the call is using (cellular, corporate WiFi, hot spot, etc.), it will be routed through the Strata CIX system, then transmitted accordingly using the Caller ID name and number of the user’s office telephone. Employees using the Varaha Fixed Mobile Convergence solution will have a single phone number wherever they are. FMC also lowers communications costs since the corporate WiFi network is used for voice calls instead of more expensive cellular minutes. Even international calls can use less expensive landline rates; with a local SIM card and registration of the new cell phone number on the uMobility Controller, calls can be routed through the WiFi network overseas, or delivered back to the home office.

What is required? Varaha uMobility client software works on most devices that run Windows Mobile or Symbian operating systems such as those from Nokia (pictured), Samsung or HTC. Apple iPhone and RIM Blackberry devices are planned for later in 2009. The client software registers and interacts with the uMobility Controller, a network-based server that connects to the Strata CIX IP PBX. It is the Strata CIX that enables features such as simultaneous ringing of the desk telephone and mobile phone for inbound calls and which places the outbound calls.

Stratagy View Web-based unified messaging targets employees on-the-go and makes it easy to access and manage voice and fax messages with or without accessing an e-mail inbox first. The Strategy View Web server communicates with a Toshiba Stratagy ES voicemail system and the user’s e-mail service. Stratagy View sends the user an e-mail when a new voice or fax message arrives in the user’s voice mailbox. This e-mail alert message contains a link to a Web page where users can view a Message List that contains all voice and fax messages (with sender information and duration). Alternatively, without accessing the e-mail inbox, the user can simply type in the URL address of the Stratagy View Web server and enter their voice mailbox log on credentials to reach the Message List screen. Voice and fax messages can be sorted, viewed (fax) or listened to (voice), forwarded, deleted or saved. The user can also access and manage an Address Book (system and personal) and record new voice messages. Stratagy View is a “no charge option” with the purchase of Toshiba’s Stratagy ES Unified Messaging seats.

Also new is the company’s first DECT cordless phone (an OEM phone branded by Toshiba). DECT technology (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) is an ETSI standard (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) and a mature technology that is specifically designed to handle large number of users and which guarantees a high quality of voice transmission. The Toshiba DKT2404-DECT operates up to 1,000 feet in open areas (using six repeaters per base station) and supports 16 hours of battery talk time and seven days standby time. Toshiba users can use the DECT handset to access telephony features on the associated Strata CIX VoIP system, while away from their desk telephone.   www.telecom.toshiba.com

For more on Toshiba Strata CIX systems and other IP PBX offers on the market, visit  www.telecomtactics.com

Enterprise Telephony News

Mitel Communications Director 4.0 Adds Dynamic Extension

Takeaway: Recently, Mitel launched a new marketing campaign, called Series X, which includes an enhanced version of the company’s Mitel Communications Director (MCD) call control software that runs on a Mitel 3300 Controller or on an industry-standard server from Sun, HP or IBM. The latest software, referred to as MCD 4.0, became available to the channel in early July and represents a formal shift in naming from Mitel 3300 ICP to Mitel Communications Director (MCD), as the company looks to highlight their call control software as a single software package that can run on a selection of hardware platforms, per the customer’s choice. Going forward, Mitel’s enterprise IP-PBX offering is known as MCD (with the first release starting at 4.0), but the company will continue to use the 3300 brand for the hardware components (Mitel gateways and controllers) on which MCD software can run. MCD 4.0 features the Dynamic Extension (more details below), improves administration and management, enhances contact center capabilities and addresses SIP-based device resiliency with four possible levels of resilient behavior (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum). Additional capabilities and hardware are planned for later this year. Read more below, and for more on IP PBX systems and mobility options, visit   www.telecomtactics.com.

Mitel introduces Dynamic Extension, a license-activated call control capability for mobile employees. The new capability is embedded within the Mitel Communications Director (MCD) call control software (Release 4.0) that runs on a Mitel 3300 Controller or on an industry-standard server from Sun, HP or IBM. Mobile staff can make and receive calls from anywhere on any of eight defined devices, as if they are in the office, maintaining their corporate identity (single number reach) and being always accessible to customers and colleagues (business continuity and first call resolution). In addition, Dynamic Extension means costs savings in terms of cellular charges. Cellular long distance charges are reduced since long distance calls can route through the corporate communications system at lower rates.

Mitel explains that Dynamic Extension introduces two capabilities which are new for Mitel users: Personal Ring Groups and External Hot Desking. It is the Personal Ring Groups (PRGs) that allow the user to define up to eight devices which appear to an outside party as the user’s office extension, but which can also take advantage of Mitel IP PBX calling features (transfer, conferencing, etc.). The user enters up to eight phone numbers in their Personal Ring Group; these can be internal numbers (extension numbers or direct dial numbers, for example) or external numbers, such as a home number or mobile phone number. The application uses External Hot Desking to extend call control and the user's identity and presence to any devices which are external to the 3300 ICP network. Once on a call, the user can seamlessly transfer (push or pull) between the devices. For example, a user can answer a call on his/her desk telephone, then press a programmed handoff key on the telephone to ‘push’ this call to a mobile phone (defined in the PRG), as they leave the office and continue the call over a cellular network.

Mitel Dynamic Extension has the following key advantages:

• Fixed Mobile Convergence, dual-mode (cellular and WiFi)
• Single mailbox
• Hot Desk any device (internal or external to the MCD network)
• No client software/server required
• Push/pull (seamless call transfer among defined devices)
• Eight devices defined, including a legacy phone or any mobile phone

Per engineering guidelines, Mitel recommends that PRGs represent no more than 50% of the lines on a single MCD system (e.g. 350 PRGs programmed simultaneously on a 700-user system). Additional capacities include eight PRG member devices, one PRG per primary line (eight PRGs for non-primary members), and 812 simultaneously ringing PRG member devices per Mitel MXe Server (292 per non-MXe Server).

Dynamic Extension adds to several other mobile options already available for Mitel customers, including Mobile Extension (requires a blade or server), the WiFi solution from SpectraLink, Mitel Teleworker, Mitel UC clients and cordless phones. While all of these remain viable options, Dynamic Extension represents a forward-looking and simplified alternative for so-called road warriors and remote workers. In addition to Dynamic Extension, MCD 4.0 improves administration and management, enhances contact center capabilities and addresses SIP-based device resiliency with four possible levels of resilient behavior (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum).   www.mitel.com

Nortel Continues to Enhance its Telephony System Portfolio, Enterprise Division Sale Pending

Takeaway: Following a declaration of bankruptcy in January 2009 and now the pending sale of its Enterprise Solutions business (Avaya entered a bid on July 20), Nortel continues to enhance its small and medium business (SMB) and enterprise telephony systems. Recently, Nortel announced new hardware and functionality for two of its platforms, the Software Communication System (SCS) and the Communication Server (CS) 1000. And, earlier this year, the company upgraded its SMB offer, the Business Communication Manager (BCM), with a new Unified Communications (UC) capability. As the bidding process for the Nortel Enterprise Solutions business takes place over the next month or so, and as industry analysts speculate and predict the outcome for Nortel, its customers and the competitive enterprise communications market, Nortel continues to serve its customers by enhancing its range of telephony platforms. Read more below and visit www.telecomtactics.com. for more information on Nortel business telephony systems and other IP PBX market offers.

Nortel BCM: Nortel continues to develop and enhance its Business Communications Manager (BCM) portfolio of IP telephony systems designed for the SMB market. In October 2008, Nortel launched BCM450 to extend the capacity of the BCM portfolio to 300 users with a scalable version that targets the larger segment of the SMB market. The BCM portfolio now handles from three to 300 users with BCM50 (3-30 users) and BCM450 (30-300 users), providing a migration for legacy Norstar customers, as well as a growth option for earlier BCM200 and BCM400 platforms. In February 2009, Nortel focused on employee productivity and customer service with a value-added feature called Message Forwarding that is now included with the BCM Unified Messaging (UM) capability. Message Forwarding sends an e-mail notification of a voice or fax message to the user’s device of choice such as a RIM Blackberry or Apple iPhone, Microsoft Outlook Web Access, Mac OS Mail or other e-mail client. Optionally, a compressed .WAV file can be attached and forwarded, so the user can play the voice message or display the fax message on the destination device. Current BCM customers simply apply the latest BCM software update via Business Element Manager or Network Configuration Manager and then enable the Message Forwarding feature within the CallPilot Manager (Administrator) or Mailbox Manager (User) console.

Nortel SCS: With the recently-announced SIP-based Software Communication System (SCS) Version 3.0 in June 2009, Nortel increases scalability to 2,000 users per server and to several thousand users in a networked configuration in order to address larger, distributed enterprises. Initially, the product was called SCS500 with scalability to 500 or so extensions. However, with the new version 3.0, Nortel brands the product as simply 'SCS,' noting that SCS is a software solution with no real limitations in terms of scalability. The latest SCS 3.0 software has the expanded capacity (to 2,000 users per server), but also improves the management of multi-server configurations, runs on additional Dell and IBM server platforms and supports SIP trunk connections without the need for an external Session Border Controller (SBC). SCS 3.0 also supports new SIP variants of the Nortel IP Phone 1200 Series and more third party applications. A free SCS 3.0 upgrade is available for existing Nortel SCS customers with a Software Release Subscription (SRS) contract.

Nortel CS 1000: In July 2009, Nortel unveiled some new options for its CS 1000 IP distributed communications solution for larger enterprises. Release 6.0 adds new hardware that improves reliability (new Commercial Off The Shelf or COTS servers have built-in redundant power supplies). And, a new co-resident Call Server and Signaling Server (CP PM Co-res CS and SS) offers a more cost-effective configuration for deployments that do not require redundancy. Administrative improvements include centralization of media services and dial plans. For users, R6.0 extends CS 1000 telephony features to SIP clients and adds a few improvements for IP phone users such as support for 25 languages. Nortel says a forthcoming report will highlight the energy efficiencies possible with CS 1000 6.0 and its components. For CS 1000 customers with an SRS contract in place, the CS 1000 R6.0 upgrade is free.   www.nortel.com

Siemens Announces OpenScape Office UC Application for HiPath 3000

Takeaway: Siemens reaches out to SMBs that deploy its HiPath 3000 IP PBX, introducing new Version 8 software and the OpenScape Office (OSO) UC Application suite (first introduced in 2007 with the all-in-one HiPath OpenOffice ME). Referencing a recent study of employee productivity, Siemens estimates that OSO can save customers up to $1,040 per employee per year by making it easy to access and use conferencing services, presence, mobility, voicemail, messaging and contact center capabilities. The suite includes the core UC application (OpenScape Office or OSO), with an additional (and optional) Contact Center module. Several clients are available to access OSO, including the free myPortal desktop client. HiPath 3000 Version 8 also adds support for dual-mode WiFi-GSM devices, two entry-level OpenStage telephones, video-capable SIP endpoints (from Siemens and third parties) and an open HTTP Application Interface and SDK for developers. Read more below and visit  www.telecomtactics.com. for more information on Siemens business telephony systems and other IP PBX market offers.

Siemens Enterprise Communications Group announces the OpenScape Office (OSO) UC Application suite designed to enhance the communications needs of small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) by providing easy access to conferencing services, presence, mobility, voicemail, messaging and contact center capabilities. Siemens references a study by SIS International Research that estimates up to 20% of a knowledge workers’ unproductive time can be avoided with unified communications (UC) technology. The company calculates that OSO can save customers up to $1,040 per employee per year.

The OSO UC Application is new for Siemens HiPath 3000 telephony systems running Version 8 software. Siemens explains that the suite includes the core UC application (OpenScape Office or OSO), with an additional (and optional) Contact Center module. Several clients are available to access the OSO application, including the myPortal desktop client (free), the myPortal Outlook plug-in client (a licensed option) and myAttendant client, a receptionist application and an alternative to the traditional attendant console (also optionally licensed ). In addition, the myAgent client is available to complement the add-on Contact Center module, an inbound multimedia (voice, fax and e-mail) contact center (64 concurrent agents, 50 groups/queues, 64 supervisors).

OSO was first introduced with Siemens’ HiPath OpenOffice ME (Medium Edition), an all-in-one appliance launched in 2007 with these UC applications preloaded on the system. Siemens notes that there are some minor functionality and licensing differences between the OSO application when used with the HiPath 3000 versus the HiPath OpenOffice ME (for example, drag and drop conferencing is not available for the HiPath 3000 V8 TDM or IP versions). The Contact Center module is currently available for the HiPath 3000, and is planned for HiPath OpenOffice ME Version 2.0, due out in the coming months.

The Siemens OSO application supports up to 384 users and enables the following functionality (as noted, some features require additional licensing and a few features are unavailable for the HiPath 3000):

• Integrated Voice-supported Presence)
• Mobility (Office Roamer, Road Warrior, Remote Worker, CallMe!)
• Drag and Drop Conference Management
• Dial from any Application
• Directories
• Favorites List / Internal IM
• Visible Voicemail
• Fax Box
• Call Journal
• One Number Service
• Personal Notifications
• Personal AutoAttendant
• Screen Pop and Live Call Recording

Now generally available worldwide, OpenScape Office is priced at €99 per OSO user and €550 per OSO Contact Center user. The HiPath 3000 V8 upgrade license (required for OSO) is €800. Siemens customers can try the full OSO suite for 30 days before deciding which clients they want to use going forward.

Aside from OpenScape Office and the Contact Center application, HiPath 3000 Version 8 also adds support for dual-mode WiFi-GSM devices, new OpenStage 10 and 15 telephones, video-capable SIP endpoints (from Siemens and third parties) and an open HTTP Application Interface and SDK for developers.  www.siemens-enterprise.com

Aastra Unveils Three New DECT Handsets